Community partnership invests in smart manufacturing equipment

The Ohio State University at Marion, Tri-Rivers Career Center and the Marion Community Foundation marked a significant milestone with the debut of its state-of-the-art connected smart manufacturing (CSM) cell hosted within the manufacturing bay of the RAMTEC facility. This transformative addition, generously funded by Tri-Rivers Career Center, The Ohio State University at Marion, and the Marion Community Foundation, represents a pivotal advancement in manufacturing education in Marion, Ohio.

Ohio State Marion Dean and Director, Dr. Gregory S. Rose underscored the growth of the partnerships impact on education and manufacturing in the Marion area.

Rose said, “This is the next step in a partnership that started a couple years ago when we first established the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) program, and we needed some equipment and laboratory facilities that Tri-Rivers had available.  So, we started a partnership on that level.  As the BSET curriculum was built out, we needed this piece of equipment.  Tri-Rivers had a grant for part of the full machine.  We had more conversation about how we might join forces, and here it is." 

"It really is an example of a partnership extension.  That is the best part of partnerships.  You start small and then you keep building your partnership.  The Marion Community Foundation was willing to join the partnership to help us pay for the shared equipment. It is a terrific example of how a partnership can evolve,” Rose added.

President and CEO of the Marion Community Foundation, Dean Jacob highlighted the broader community benefits and how this education will help strengthen the pipeline of talent for businesses in the area. The Foundation’s contributions will trickle outward throughout the community and pay back in dividends. 

“The Community Foundation is always looking for programs that are collaborative, where there are partners working together. This is a great example of that,” said Jacob. “We are always looking for programs that are going to advance education. This is another great example of that,” he added. 

“This really is the perfect fit where you’ve got partners like Tri Rivers, Ohio State Marion collaborating, educating people, and advancing our community.  That is our vision, a generous, collaborative, educated, healthy, and vibrant community. All these pieces come together for this.  We are glad that the Robert and Dorothy Wopat Fund at the Marion Community Foundation could donate $125,000 to this project and help it become a reality.” he said.

The Ohio State University at Marion's investment into the new connected smart manufacturing cell (pictured above) and  hosted within the manufacturing bay of the RAMTEC facility, will be another piece of cutting edge training equipment accessible to Ohio State Marion engineering technology majors.

Superintendent of Tri-Rivers Career Center, Dr. Charles Speelman, emphasized, "This CSM cell empowers our students with cutting-edge skills for the modern manufacturing landscape."

“For years students were working on equipment and trying to train on equipment that wasn’t being used in industry,” said Speelman.  “They learned the process, but they wouldn’t be able to walk in and do the job.  Now with this new equipment, this automation equipment is exactly what is being used in this smart manufacturing that is going on, and that’s coming, and that’s growing and developing.  Students will graduate and be able to go to work the next week on the same equipment that they are being trained on,” he said. That is a huge advantage to our community and our students.”

During the unveiling, two RAMTEC students from Tri-Rivers provided a demonstration of the new equipment, showcasing its benefits and use cases. The high-tech production line ran from start to finish, producing small tokens for attendees to commemorate the event. The students shared how they have already gained real-world experience in the setup and initialization of the system.

The introduction of the Connected Smart Manufacturing cell signifies a significant leap forward for education and industry in Marion, setting a new standard for the integration of cutting-edge technology in manufacturing programs. This collaborative effort between Tri-Rivers Career Center, The Ohio State University at Marion, and the Marion Community Foundation promises a lasting impact on the community, providing students with invaluable skills.